Branded
by SilverCrystal029
Summary: Inuyasha's and many other's lives are sent spiraling into despair after the fateful Eclipse. Can he find a way through the pain, despair, and eternal struggling of being a half demon who's banished to the interstice? (Beserk's plot/themes with Inuyasha characters. )
1. Survivor

The times were godless. Perhaps, they always were but people used to deal with that fact a lot better. Men lived among youkai. There were youkai, not monsters... Now, these days lived as proof that the real horror is when the line is blurred between both. Society itself almost ceased to exist. Demons existed in such frequency and with such power no tribe of humans lasted very long anymore in Sengoku Jidai.

And even if they did, they were completely subservient to neighboring youkai. Royalty, nobles, priestesses, monks... All fell to the inumerous evils in the unstable world. Mercenaries of any race were the most powerful people one could think of. They were the only ones who could stand a chance against this long night. And even then they often failed or only lasted so long.

The balances had tipped. Something irreversible had happened and damned nearly every mortal to hell on earth. Mercenaries, pirates, and thieves thrived in this lawless world. Not just law breakers. Those without conscience. Those who who could rape, pillage, and kill without remorse. Everyone else was collateral damage.

The bandits sneered. The locals had cleared out long ago. Only the women remained. They stood as hostages at their mercy, trying not to cry as the men drank beer and became more and more sexually vulgar. A scarred man with an eyepatch tripped the woman running drinks on purpose. She crashed to the ground, shattering half a dozen mugs of beer.

The bandits erupted into laughter. The assailant grabbed her by her hair and yanked. She screamed in surprise as he examined her. She was young and sweet looking. "What do you think, Shiro? I think she's kind of alright..." She started shouting and crying as he pulled a knife to her throat. "I kind of want to _carve her up._" He cut the strap to her dress and it slid down her shoulder. He grabbed her exposed breast with his filthy hand, leaving stains in it's wake.

She trembled, snot dribbling down her nose as she sniffed he and cut her other dress strap. He traced the knife around her nipple, causing her to moan. He was getting a boner. _'I'll do her right now, I don't care who sees!'_ He thought to himself. He slammed her down hard on the ground and started ruffling her dress fabric.

"Jesus fucking christ. They say youkai are evil?" All eyes in the pub turned to the entrance where a figure clad in red stood. He had on red, draping robes and long silver hair. His eye was amber (one was missing). His hands were claws and on his head sat two white dog demon ears. At his side was giant sword wrapped in fur. Everyone stared at the mythical hanyou before busting into laughter.

"What the fuck! A half demon?!" They cried pointing. "Thinks he's a samurai, does he? Ha ha!" He watched them all with a smug smile on his face, his hands twitching.

"C'mon, Inuyasha. Just help the girl!" A voice pleaded. He rolled his eyes, looking around his own layers.

"You're still here, huh..." His hand hovered over his sword as he wondered if it was even worth drawing. _'None of this is my business. And I sure have enough shit on my plate at the moment...'_ He looked down at the terrified girl and started to feel bad.

"Inuyasha,_ the girl_..." His face became very serious and his impossible sword was drawn. It looked physically impossible to hold, let alone, operate in combat. He held it effortlessly and stared at the one eyed bandit.

"Let her go and I won't kill you." He said plainly, staring him down. The terrified bandit released her, stumbling backward on his ass. Screaming and crying the girl ran shrieking out of the bar. With a motion too fast for the human eye to see Inuyasha moved, his sword slashing before him.

What was once a criminal was nothing but a pile of mush and gore. The women started screaming and running first as the other bandits stared at him in horror. "If you're not here of you own free will, then please go. And the rest of you," His face became dark and very intimidating. "Don't let me find out you're treating women like this again. Or else..." He flicked his sword, the remains of his casualty slopping off. They all stared, wide eyed, as he walked out of the pub into the moonlight.

The separate voice with him poked their head out of his red robe, their cherubic face looking around. They were tiny, with a mop of bright orange hair and blue eyes. He had a fluffy tail and two fox feet. Wings shimmered on his back, he was Fae. Just being with him could have Inuyasha executed without trial in some places. But he seemed to be good luck, no matter how much he annoyed him.

"Inuyasha!" He squeaked. He rolled his eye.

"Quiet, you vermin-"

"Listen! That girl, you have to find her!" He screamed at him. "There's bandits out here and she's wandered off." Inuyasha growled as he sniffed the air delicately.

"The dumb ass couldn't have gotten far-"

"_Inuyasha_." He leapt off suddenly when he caught her scent. It wasn't unpleasant. In fact it was refreshing. Light. Innocent. So different than '_Kikyo's...'_. He shook the thought from his mind. He needed to focus on recovering her fast before something unthinkable happened. She wasn't far. She was down the bend near a stream pointing at fish.

Inuyasha exhaled when he saw her, realizing how uptight and anxious he'd felt when he was separated from her. '_You aren't Kikyo, are you?_' He thought, looking at her as he approached slowly.'_'But I am still responsible for you, my hanyou nature... It's the reason you exist. Isn't it?'_ The girl babbled unintelligibly as he came over. She giggled and squealed as the little one poked his head out.

"Shhh... Shhhh..."

"Shippo! That's right, she's trying to say it!" He cried, beaming at her. She loved children and animals, so Shippo was the best of both worlds. She grabbed him and squeezed affectionately, rubbing against his lush tail. "Hi to you too, girl." Inuyasha looked to the children playing in the stream.

"She just came over and started playing." Said a little girl.

"We didn't mind." The boy chimed. Inuyasha nodded. He hooked his arms in hers and turned her around.

"Got it. Thanks. See ya around." With that the pair was off.

* * *

_"The Shikon Jewel. A spiritual relic so powerful it can grant anything. Even godhood. Only the holiest of warriors are tasked to protect it." Inuyasha looked up at the mercenary leader as he ranted. He was maybe six or seven years old, and hungry, but not very many people talked to a bastard half demon brat with dog ears atop his head. _

_Gambino was mean. Gambino was scary. But Gambino would talk to him. When he wasn't drunk he taught him about fighting. He gave him his sword, Scar. Even when it sucked he was all Inuyasha had._

_"It could even make a bastard like you worth a damn! It could make you a human, a breathing living thing like me! Or become a monster! A real demon! Something that's actually powerful! Not this pathetic runt you are now!" He took a long swig of sake and glared at Inuyasha hatefully. "You're cursed, hanyou. You know that, don't you?"  
_

_Inuyasha blinked back tears, knowing it would just make things worse. This was the same drunken tirade Gambino always went on. He had heard it many times but it never spared him from telling it. "I never forgave you for Shizu... Shizu... My damn bitch." Inuyasha's ears drooped as he thought of the loving woman. _

_He barely remembered her anymore. He was barely walking on his own when she died bed-ridden and ravaged by a disgusting, painful disease. Boils covered almost all her exposed skin. She moaned endlessly for days until she died, Inuyasha watching it all. Her caretakers had scolded him and tried to urge him out of the room._

_"She could be contagious, Inuyasha." They'd said._

_"Stay back!" He frowned, ignoring their pleas. Shizu had been the only person who'd shown him kindness. Ever. He was at his side when he would've died, he could be at hers. Snot dribbling down his nose he stared at her, clasping his hand with her without fear._

_"Inu... Inu..." It seemed to comfort her. She died shortly after that._

_"I got my bitch pregnant but she miscarried him. Our son... It broke her brain, poor bitch. She was never right again. We walked past that public hanging one day, she heard your weak and pathetic cry." Inuyasha stared at his hands, avoiding the man's predatory stare. "She dug through the trash. And the blood. And the body parts. Literally death was the garden where you were born." Inuyasha inhaled. _

_"You dropped out of your mother's cunt. Hung on her due date for laying with youkai! Imagine their delight when your body popped out-"_

_"Gambino, please-"_

_"They cheered as the umbilical cord snapped and left you laying in filth. And Shizu... She dug you out of there. She put you to her breast. Then three years later she fell ill and died! It was you, demon." He stood suddenly, staring at him. "I've rented out your services for the evening to an associate, I need the cash. Be helpful and courteous or I'll break all your bones..." Inuyasha trembled as he exited the hut, a large, sweaty, predatory man replacing him. In an instant Inuyasha was forced down and his legs pried a part. _

"You knew... Gambino." Inuyasha murmured to himself, staring into the fire at camp. The girl laid snoring, resting peacefully after an eventful day. The fox faerie Shippo watched her intently. He felt protective of her innocent nature. These were dark times. At times he wondered how much he could trust the hanyou Inuyasha. He looked at him with determined eyes.

He was covered in grizzled scars even though his clothes looked impeccable. The longer he stared at his hard face the more scars and permanent scuff marks he found, as if he never stopped fighting. "Inuyasha?" His amber eye flicked to Shippo, a bit relieved he'd taken to babysitting the girl.

"Oi." He grunted, a bit lost in his head.

"Why haven't you said her name." Inuyasha's blood ran cold. He had been dreading, absolutely dreading, when someone would ask him what exactly was going on. It was such a famous incident. Shippo already knew. And yet... He sighed heavily, his gaze dropping.

"Well, Shippo. Because I don't know it." Shippo's mouth dropped in disbelief.

"WHAT. This girl you'll risk everything for? You don't even know her name?" He shouted back._ 'Okay, I'm not even sure I feel safe leaving her with this guy. What is going on?'_ Inuyasha leaned his head in his hand, studying the girl's sweet face. She looked so much like her and so different. Her face was angel like, sweet soft lips and large, doe-like eyes. Her hair was black and silky, perfect bangs framing her face. It had a gentle wave and was the kind of look woman chased after.

She was objectively one of the most beautiful women either of them had ever seen. But she was different. Something about her mind wasn't the same as others. It was as if she were still a little child, new to the world. No matter that she had the outward appearance of a woman. She needed to be fiercely protected or she wouldn't last long in these turbulent times.

"You told me you had to fix her! Now you're telling me you don't know her name?!" Inuyasha shut his eye, annoyed by Shippo's yelling.

"Quiet down. It's not like that. She appeared..." He cocked an eyebrow at the hanyou unsurely. "She appeared during the eclipse." Fear stabbed Shippo's heart.


	2. The Sacred Jewel

_'The Shikon Jewel...'_ Inuyasha thought to himself bitterly. He hated Gambino's drunk, abusive ramblings. But it was all he knew of the world. He knew if even just one thing he told him was true the Shikon Jewel could change his life. _'I'll be a full demon... Nobody will ever mess with me again.'_ His hand twitched into a fist as memories played in his mind without his consent. He spit, looking around him.

_'The Band Of The Spider has been tasked with such a job, to protect the Shikon Jewel. Warriors blessed by the church, by every holy person they encounter.'_ He sneered down at Inuyasha. '_The likes of you would never find such a thing.'_ Inuyasha tossed a stone into a stream with a frown.

"Fuck you, Gambino..." He growled to himself. He scanned the area with suspicious amber eyes. This was three or four years ago (much before he acquired the magical one and the girl). He had a much more boyish face and was covered in far less scars. He was a traveling mercenary. He slayed youkai and human alike, for the right price.

Growing up his whole life in a mercenary encampment made Inuyasha feel like he was only right with his sword drawn. He watched restlessly. Word traveling was that the band should be passing through the area at any moment._ 'This is gonna be my only chance to get that damn jewel.'_ He watched from behind a tree, getting grumpy and bored. Far, far off in the distance he saw a small army with banners flying.

"Spiders!" He exclaimed. "I'll cut down each and every one of them for the jewel, if I have to." He waited impatiently, his hand hovering over his sword's hilt. They were riding leisurely in a tight formation. A few of them seem to have rode ahead to scout the area, the captain of The Band Of The Spider at the center on a regal horse.

Inuyasha watched carefully, waiting for the right time to ambush the soldier leading the excursion. _'Easy...'_ He thought. When they were almost parallel to the tree he was behind he leapt out, slicing through soldier and horse at the same time. They both made a bleating noise as their entrails fell to the ground. Inuyasha looked behind him, hearing men screaming and horses neighing.

"Monster! Monster!"

"Youkai!"

"HALF DEMON!" He heard their rants for yards away. Suddenly, a slender soldier on a jet black horse rode out of formation and towards him. Fast.

"Make way for big sis!" A soldier cried out. Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow, his fire rat robe billowing in the wind.

"Big... Sis? That's a woman?" He rolled his eyes, wondering if he was wrong to chase after Gambino's drunk ramblings. He readied his sword, not particularly excited to cut down a girl.

"Demon!" She screamed, surprising everyone when she pulled a bow and arrow. While the horse galloped she pulled a glowing arrow taut.

"What the fuck?!" Inuyasha screamed, the sacred arrow soaring towards him. He blocked it with his sword and it left a sizzling stain. _'That bitch is a priestess?'_ He thought frantically, hopping away from her. She pulled another arrow and he cursed, leaping into the trees. She leapt off the horse and started running, her sword drawn quickly.

"Come, and be purified!" She screamed, slashing hard at Inuyasha. Inuyasha used his inhuman half demon reflexes to his advantage, grateful he was able to dodge her artful swordsmanship. He swung his giant sword and she ducked, having her helmet knocked off her head. Her face almost cost Inuyasha the match alone, she was beautiful. Probably the most beautiful woman in Sengoku Jidai.

Her skin was fair and her eyes were a deep, brown well Inuyasha wanted to fall into. So serious, burdened, but still beautiful. Her hair looked like the night sky and even tied was down her back. She stared hatefully at Inuyasha as she swung again. He knocked her down with the butt of his sword and raised it high above his head, a wild look in his eyes.

'_No! I'm going to die! Forgive me, Onigumo-'_ Her flesh was never cut. Instead she heard the clashing of metal. She looked up and saw her captain, the vision of of an eternal dream standing over her on his spotless, white horse. Inuyasha stared at this figure as he took off his helmet. He looked as delicate as the female solider, his armor intricately designed and fitted. He had long, lustrous white hair. Pink, full lips, and otherworldly blue eyes.

He was about as beautiful as the female soldier, entrancing and confusing Inuyasha at once.

"Kikyo..." He said softly, his voice like the wind. "Careful." Inuyasha looked down at the woman addressed as Kikyo.

"O-Onigumo!" She exclaimed. There was an unreadable expression on his face as she scrambled behind him. He stared at Inuyasha for a long moment before drawing his rapier.

"Drop your sword?" He offered, making Inuyasha cock an eyebrow. He laughed. "Thought so."

* * *

Shippo stared into the sleeping girl's face as Inuyasha spoke surprisingly fluidly of his past. He leaned his head on tiny hands. "So. What happened?" Inuyasha sniffed, looking up at the starry sky.

"We dueled, duh." Shippo nodded.

"And let me guess, you carved up the effeminate guy?" Inuyasha laughed to himself.

"I lost. Big time." Shippo jumped up in surprise.

"Wait, WHAT?!" Inuyasha leaned an arm on his knee.

"Lucky for me, Onigumo wanted me. We bet on the duel. If I won, I continued on my way. If he won, my sword was employed to him. And his dream..." Shippo looked at him in confusion. "But are you listening, Shippo... That woman, Kikyo..." Shippo watched him stare wistfully into the distance.

"You were sweet on her, weren't you?" Inuyasha didn't say anything for a moment, dragging Kikyo's face up in his memory.

"She looked just like that girl." Shippo jumped to his feet in confusion.

"This girl? Was was a warrior you faced off with?" Shippo questioned. Inuyasha smiled to himself.

"No, she isn't. She just looks like her." Shippo watched her as she twitched restlessly, clutching the red layer of Inuyasha's robe closer to her. _'Poor girl..._' He thought. She cried out in distress, making Inuyasha's face very serious. He moved closer to her, his story interrupted.

"Girl..." He said quietly. He pulled his fire rat robe tighter around her but he felt a sting on the back of his neck._ 'Oh fuck...'_ He thought. He moved the girl's kimono to the side to Shippo's protest and stared at a strange mark on her chest. Shippo stared at it, aware that whatever it was it was not good. _'W-Who are these people... Inuyasha.'_ Inuyasha grimaced.

"It's leaking... Something." He looked to Shippo. "Something's coming." He said, standing. The girl woke up suddenly, clutching the side of her chest that was branded and whimpering. "You may want to get in there. My cloths are as strong as armor." He said nonchalantly, whipping his sword out." Sweat gathered at Shippo's brow. He didn't protest when the girl grabbed him and pulled him close, shaking.

"Grauugh... Graa..." She said, looking around the campsite. Shippo frowned up at her.

"There, there..." He said, patting her arm. "Inuyasha will protect us!" He looked back at them passively. _'Don't bet on me._' He thought. _'Everything I touch dies, that girl is proof enough.'_ He sniffed around them and waited for the enemy to show themselves. _'Besides, who will protect you from me?' _

Inuyasha's instincts were screaming. Without a second thought he grabbed the girl and Shippo, causing them both to scream out. "Hang on," He said, leaping up and through the dense trees in the forest. The yelled as they soared through the sky, landing in front of their abandoned campsite.

"Inuyasha-" Shippo began, but soon a hideous demon crashed into the clearing. It destroyed their fire and everything else with ease. Shippo stared at the centipede demon, her long, white body writhing with legs. Her eyes were dull and evil, a distorted smile on her face. The girl just stared ahead, babbling. She seemed to be too simple or too innocent to actually be scared.

"See?" Inuyasha said, setting them both down. "Keep my robe." He grunted, knowing they would need it worse than he did.

"B-But you won't be protected!" Shippo pointed out. Inuyasha rolled his eye.

"Your job now is to protect her. She's gonna need more than my top." Shippo's face became grave. He watched her looking around with wonder and ignoring the monster growling in front of them. Slowly, he climbed out of the robe and stood defensively in front of her. "There we go." Inuyasha said, facing the centipede youkai with his massive sword on his shoulder.

Shippo tried to put on a brave face. "O-Okay. I'll do my best." Inuyasha turned toward the vicious demon with a frown.

"Oi, bitch. You ruined our damn campsite." She snarled, a long tongue snaking out of her mouth.

"Foolish hanyou," She snapped. "Nobody wants you. I want..." She pointed at the girl. "HER! I want the Shikon No tama!" Inuyasha looked back at her in surprise. She had a finger to her lip, wondering why all the attention was even on her. '_The Shikon no tama? If she had that...'_ He chuckled.

"Oh bitch, you couldn't be more wrong. That girl is my possession. She has no such thing." Inuyasha answered, pressing forward.

"Imbecile... I smell it! You won't keep it away from me!" She dashed forward surprisingly fast._ 'All those damn legs.'_ Inuyasha thought. He jumped up and brought his giant sword down, dismembering some of her many legs. "NO! MY LEGS!" She darted back away from Inuyasha, glaring.

"Yeah, we kind of have to make a new camp since you wrecked ours. So I don't want to spend anymore time on this." He said plainly, preparing to swing his sword again. She moved, quickly and dashed around Inuyasha and towards the girl and the faerie._ 'No!'_ Inuyasha thought, chasing desperately behind her.

Shippo trembled but knew he was the only one who can do something. "I-I got this! FOX FIRE!" He screamed, flinging the magical fire at the centipede youkai. She scoffed, smacking Shippo out of her way into a tree.

"HEY!" Inuyasha roared. The centipede demon pinned the girl amongst her shrill screams. She cried like a little child, wriggling furiously against her restraint.

"Aughhh... Grauuuuuu-" She screamed, looking around frantically for Shippo or Inuyasha. The youkai pinned her arms crucifixion style, sneering down at her. Her spit splashed on to her face. She shook her head and yelled.

"It's mine, branded one. I will have it!" She bit violently into the girl's fleshy, branded breast.

"NO!" Shippo screamed, rising up from the tree trunk he slapped, umping onto the Mistress Centipede and biting her shoulder with his fangs. The girl cried out, trying with all her might to break free as she feasted on her blood. Out popped a pearly, iridescent jewel in the fray. The girl noticed, crying out and reaching for it.

_The scene triggered Inuyasha suddenly, the sight of of a demon on top of the girl unlocking something primal inside of him. Something he couldn't control. 'No...' He thought desperately. He saw Kikyo stripped naked of her armor. Slimy demon tentacles held her up like a cross, blood streaming down her thighs. Her eyes stared vacantly at him as he was forced to watch her be ravaged._

_"Don't look..." She begged, tears streaming down her face. _

"KIKYO!" He screamed, raising his sword and swinging it down mercilessly on the centipede. He split her in two with ease, his sword stopping short of the girl's body. She stared up at him through the blood and gore, her face calm. The demon had bitten her but she didn't look much worse for it. He pulled her out of the carnage and shook his fire rat robe.

Shippo (who'd barely gotten out of the way of Inuyasha's sword) stared at him with a shocked expression. He had noticed the particularly dark moment but chose not to ask about it. _'Hopefully he will finish his story... I have a feeling it will be good.'_ He looked up at them as he tried to get the gore and grime off the girl.

She seemed content enough as Inuyasha wrapped his robe around her. "Here," He said, wiping dirt off of her face. Shippo walked over to a glowing point in the mud and grabbed a shining jewel.

"Inuyasha..."

"C'mon. We gotta make a new camp and get her bandaged up." He turned to look at Shippo, shocked when he saw the glowing jewel in his hands. He moved quickly and snatched it from him, shoving it inside his clothes.

"Hey! No fa-"

"Quiet fool." He snapped. "Unless you want to be fighting youkai until the sun rises." Shippo piped down immediately. He hooked his arm in the girl's and tugged her along. "Let's go." He looked at the girl beside him, a pensive look on his face. He knew nothing about her except her uncanny resemblance to Kikyo. But he cared about her, and after the life he'd already lived, he didn't care about much.

"Kagome..." He grumbled to himself after a while. Shippo poked out of his robe.

"What?" He looked down at Shippo.

"We have to call her something, don't we?" Shippo looked at up at the girl who was looking around her in wonder. He smiled.

"Yeah, I guess so." He leaned his head on his tiny hand. "She does look like a Kagome, doesn't she?"


	3. Holy Masochist

_Currently_

* * *

"One. Two Three." She counted, trembling. "One. Two. Three." Her fingers twitched. Sweat trailed down her brow and her breath came out in ragged gasps. "One. Two. Thr-"

"Don't." Came a voice, watching from the shadows. She stood naked with her milky skin covered in red raised welts of various degrees. Her chestnut hair clung to her neck and back with sweat. Blood had started to pool in areas near her shoulder. She gripped the whip tightly in her shaking hand. "Give yourself a little more of a break. Please." He stared at her intently with amethyst eyes. His short, neat hair in a small ponytail.

He watched her because it was his job. After so long it felt like all he was good for. The strong, powerful, unstable girl would have flown off the deep end long ago without his counsel, but most would.

"How..." She answered, her voice sounding watery. "I still see-" She snapped the whip quickly. The lash made her moan and her voyeur couldn't tell whether it was for pain or for pleasure. He came forward into the moonlight, a frown on his face.

"Please, Lady Sango." He grabbed her wrist gently but she wrenched free with ease. He sighed. "You are suffering-"

"Father's head... Beheaded by his own son. My brother!" She whipped violently at her back and ribs while he watched. "Perhaps I am the most wicked of all... For surviving." He sighed, cutting open an aloe leaf and spreading the soothing gel all over his hands. It was their song and dance. It was their routine. He was used to it.

She turned away from him silently and allowed him access to the cuts and welts forming down her back. He rubbed his hands smoothly all over her afflicted, red skin. She shut her eyes and went numb to the world, if only for a moment. "Miroku," She snapped with her eyes shut. "You're a good hand."

He took the rare compliment with a tired smile. These moments were few and far between. _'She never wants to keep arguing with me when I grab the aloe...'_ He sighed as she sat on her knees in a meditative state. This usually put her into a trance and it gave Miroku a few moments of free time. "You don't have to punish yourself for something you witnessed. Nobody expects that of you-"

"The Holy Iron Chain Knights don't expect as much?" She was facing him with indignant, brown eyes. He got lost, for a moment, in the stylish pink makeup on her eyelids. It was a surprisingly feminine touch for an explosive, volatile woman. He looked down at her.

"They already think you are the perfect embodiment of a leader." He said cooly. She sniffed pointedly.

"Precisely. And I'll keep being it." She stood suddenly, leaving her full naked form in Miroku's view. He was a holy man and essentially Sango's subservient, but he was a man at heart. He took in the absolute perfect sight in awe as she grabbed on to a light purple kimono, the drapey fabric accentuating her curves. Miroku stood as well.

"Come. Lord Naraku waits." He nodded, following behind her with his head bowed. The lord waited for them in a large, lavish room lit by candles. His expansive five or six layer kimono billowed out over his seating mat. His skin was snow colored and blemishless. His jet black hair was in stark contrast, his lips deceptive full. He smiled warmly at his visitors.

"Sango, my battlefield flower." He welcomed. Both Sango and Miroku stopped in front of him and bowed. "I'm so excited to deliver you this news." He said, leaning back. Sango nodded, a wild look in her eyes.

"I've been... Praying about it." She got on her hands and knees. "The day I would meet my tribe's destroyer." She looked up at Naraku, her eyes glittering with rage. "Please, give me the chance to avenge my ancestors." Naraku chuckled, his voice like velvet.

"Born in the same village as the Shikon No Tama. The only survivor not just of your clan, your tajiya group, but your village. You are the sacred jewel, Sango. The being is none other than Eclipse survivor, half demon Inuyasha." Miroku baulked, his monk robes billowing. Although he did not finish his training in order to serve Sango's every whim his knowledge of religion and spirituality told him whatever they were up against was not good.

He trembled behind Sango, thinking about facing the sources of evil. She stared up at Naraku with unwavering look.

"I do not care what he's survived, he won't survive this." Naraku smiled at the demon slayer's tenacity.

"Reassuring to hear. I'll send all my men with you. Just please, if you can show the restraint, capture him here alive." Sango looked into his eyes. _'Never.'_ She thought. She smiled.

"Of course, Lord Naraku."

* * *

_Years ago, post Inuyasha and Naraku's duel_

* * *

_Inuyasha cried out in pain so scared and confused why an adult would take advantage of him this way. He tried with all his might to wrench free but he couldn't. It didn't matter. He was helpless under a grown man's weight, using his power to violate a child. Eventually Inuyasha stopped resisting. He stared, blank eyed, at the wall and counted the ridges in the wood until he backed off and left._

Inuyasha twitched suddenly, realizing he was dreaming in some tent somewhere. He began to move and felt the stiff bandaging all around him. He also felt something against him. A body. He did feel cold and anemic, that's when he realized how bad off he'd been. He turned his head to the side and tried to make his eyes adjust to the darkness.

Barely, in the dark he saw a slender figure pressed against him. A woman's. He noted her distinct but pleasant scent after a while. She was like a generator, so soft and warm despite being a warrior. _'She's keeping me from getting too cold...'_ He thought, panicking. He wasn't sure what do, but he felt if he woke her up there'd be some repercussions.

He laid flat with a sigh and fell into a restless sleep. He awoke for real when the sun blared into the hut. He sat up gingerly, now alone. He exhaled in relief. He had spent almost no time around women, now didn't seem like a good time to start. He eyed his sword in the corner of the of the room. He struggled to a standing position and grabbed it, finding it much heavier in his tired limbs.

He limped outside, seeing the woman from before. She had just a plain white yukata on then, now she had on full tradition priestess dress. Her kimono sleeves billowed in the wind as she moved gracefully around the encampment. She laughed and waved at the mercenaries as though they were friends. Inuyasha watched in awe.

"H-Hey!" He called out against better judgement. He caught her stare and the serene look on her face was replaced with a hateful one. She crossed over to meet him, intimidating Inuyasha with her walk. Without a word she raised her fist and socked Inuyasha right in the face.

"That was for Hoji and his horse!" She said, stomping right past him. "Onigumo... He wants to speak with you." She took off as fast as she appeared. "And don't think for a second I was there voluntarily to help you. It was an order."

"Damn bitch!" He spat, watching with relief as she retreated. "Don't fucking touch me or I'll gut you!"

* * *

"Kikyo... Hit you?" Shippo asked incredulously, peering up at him from Kagome's hands. Inuyasha laughed now, the memory feeling bittersweet. The sun was rising and they were pressing forward after the eventful night.

"Oh yeah. Kikyo wasn't a push over. She was the toughest broad I ever met. And she hated me, then..." He tugged tighter on Kagome and pressed forward. "C'mon, girl. Stop trying to wander." He scolded, looking at her indignantly. She pouted and babbled sadly, melting the anger out of his eye. He sighed and pulled her a little more gently.

Shippo tried to recognize where they were passing through. It was a pretty sleepy area. It seemed like a village was approaching. "Where are we going now, Inuyasha?" His face became much more serious. He pulled Kagome closer to him absentmindedly.

"To drop Kagome off." He said solemnly. Shippo hopped out of his arms and onto him.

"To WHAT? Are you mad?!" He flicked Shippo off of him and Kagome caught him in the air.

"Listen, just for a little while. Look at this," Inuyasha flipped his hair and revealed the brand on his neck. Shippo frowned in fear as both he and Kagome peered at it.

"A brand..." Shippo murmured.

"We are both branded and we draw twice the amount of demons and monsters our way when we're together." He explained seriously. "I need to do some scouting and she would be safer here. I have someone to leave her with..." Shippo studied the grisled hanyou. He could tell it wasn't a light or easy decision to make, but it still didn't sit right with him. _'I hope you know what you're doing...'_ He thought worriedly as the bounded past a well.

An older priestess was picking herbs right outside the village. She was old with long grey hair and her back was bent, and one of her eyes was covered by an eyepatch. She rose as Inuyasha barreled toward her, the strange girl in tow. _'Kikyo-sama...'_ She thought wistfully. It wasn't her but the resemblance was uncanny. Kikyo had disappeared in the Eclipse. She was not coming back. But somehow that curious doppleganger had appeared.

"Inuyasha... What took ye so long to come by! Ye just been flailing around..." She nagged, wagging a finger at him. Inuyasha rolled his eye at her.

"Yeah, yeah, woman. You just want this one cause she looks like your little protege." He pushed Kagome forward and she stumbled forward towards the mature woman, babbling contentedly. He was somewhat right but she didn't say anything, patting the girl's head.

"Come now, has Inuyasha been taking care of ye?" She asked.

"Gruuuuu..." Kagome babbled. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Damn bitch, Kaede." He snapped. "I'm the only person taking care of her!" Shippo groaned but he ignored him. "Besides... I kind of need a favor..." He scratched his head as Kaede eyed him suspiciously.

"And what is that?" He sighed, looking to her seriously.

"Please watch Kagome for a little while." She looked at the girl with surprise to see that she had a name. _'But her name wouldn't be Kikyo... Because that isn't who she is.'_ She sighed.

"Why? Where will ye be?" He stooped down with Kagome who was playing with a ladybug in the grass.

"We're both branded. Demons attack us at every turn. I just want to scout this area before I take her into this situation." Kaede looked around.

"I understand, but..." Her voice trailed off as she watched him stare intensely at her. He snapped to Kaede.

"But, what?!" She closed her eye.

"I feel like she a]should be with ye, it's where she belongs." Inuyasha huffed.

"Just for a little while old woman. Please, I'll owe you big." Kaede groaned, watching Kagome frolic with Shippo in the grass.

"Well. I suppose I can't abandon her. Don't leave her too long, Inuyasha," She looked at him seriously. "Or I wont give her back." He stared in the old woman's face and knew she meant it. He smirked.

"Thanks old hag. Don't keel over and die in the next day or two or she'll wander off and we'll never find her." Inuyasha sneered, waving as he walked away. He turned around and was promptly hit in the head with a rock. He heard Kagome's laughter in the distance. "Oh that makes you laugh..." He grumbled.

Shippo looked up at him. "At least she's laughing!"

Miroku watched far in the distance from behind a tree, barely breathing. '_They are so close...'_ He thought frantically. Whatever their next move was they had to move perfectly. _'Or we could all die.'_ This wasn't a normal bounty. He was a hanyou. He was said to have orchestrated the tajiya's demise and destroyed the Slayer's Village. His youkai blood was said to fuel the apocalypse. This would be no ordinary battle. "Eclipse survivor." He said to himself.

He doubled back quickly to make his way to Sango and her men.

* * *

"Put your back more into it, Sango!" She beamed up at her father, her hero. Girls her age wanted dresses, candy, and toys. Sango lived, breathed, and died for her father's praise. She wanted nothing more than to make him proud. And if that meant being the best demon slayer on that side of Japan, so be it.

He demonstrated for her and held her massive bone weapon up high. She watched carefully and was certain she'd perfect it sometime. He smiled down at her. "Go and try to show Kohaku." He ordered, the young Sango running off to obey. He smiled as his children played and trained together.

He was hard on his daughter but she was showing a huge amount of potential. The tajiya lived a simple but peaceful existence. The village thrived under the immediate protection of the camp to the north. Neighboring cities were indebted to them as the number of youkai and monsters rose every day. Villages encircling the the land of the tajiya usually fared well. That is until Sango's father found the Sacred Jewel. Also known as a behelit.

Some believed it as myth, others as gospel. Said to be Midoriko's eternal resting place battling the demons within it was a highly sought after relic by humans and demons alike. It was dangerous because it was said to grant wishes, from the benign to the malevolent. In the wrong hands it could wreak havok. But those who were really familiar with the truth of the occult knew otherwise.

_"No force on earth, in heaven or in hell can keep the behelit away from it's rightful owner. Few people at any given moment are true possessors of the behelit..."_

Her father finding this item ensured their involvement with the law of casualty, essentially dooming them all. It went from priestess to priestess, all fearing the jewel's inherent powers and evil auras. This was actually a good thing because it stopped the forces of bad from being able to track it down. Years passed, and an incredible-priestess warrior riding a black horse had been heard of. Her spiritual powers were grand. She rode in a band of spiders who's leader was campaigning for a kingdom.

They fought for good against monsters, youkai, and barbarians. "A better world is my dream..." Onigumo said as he was steadily promoted by every noble in the surrounding area. Someone thought the jewel would be safest with them. And ordinarily, they'd be right. They had no idea of knowing a true behelit owner was among them. But that was a whole different story.

Some time after that, a wish was made. A wish that would effect the very fabric of everyone's reality. And sacrifices were made. Of monumental proportions. And Sango's family, tribe, and whole village were some of them. Evil spread out like a sickness across the lands after the Eclipse. Monsters and beasts of unimaginable horror sprung at every turn.

The whole band of tajiya had been employed for a routine slaying. They were in routine spirits and started to feel like their restless efforts were making a positive impact on the scary world around them. They hadn't suffered any casualties in years. Maybe this started to breed hubris.

The castle lord was senile and eccentric. He seemed very ill and like he wouldn't be around for long but the tajiya, especially Sango's dad, tried to humor him. Sango followed his example, showing him and the kingdom as much respect as she could. She could tell her kid brother was scared. He was always nervous and this was a big first slaying to go to.

The spider demon appeared after much time. It was docile and very sluggish. The team made light work of it with great spirits. They were laughing and toying with it. Something felt wrong to Sango but she couldn't place what. _'This place wrote our village practically begging for mercy from this demon, but...'_ It barely seemed capable of snatching children. _'Something, it isn't right.' _

She looked around her and struggled to find a clue to what was going on. "Alright, make sure you get it's heart." Someone called.

"It was big but it wasn't impressive..." Someone else commented. Sango turned to see her brother's weapon slicing through the air. In one fell swoop it took her father and her uncle's head clean off. "...Brother?" She whispered, as he continued expertly cutting his family and comrades down. It was as if he'd been exterminating for years. '_He's possessed! Damn it!'_ Sango thought desperately as he cut each tajiya down.

The kingdom's own soldiers watched in horror and disgust, some vomiting at the gory sight. "What the hell..."

"The tajiya gone mad?!"

"W-Why?! How!" Sango screamed. Miroku struggled and screamed from inside the palace. He was watching the horrors transpire outside unable to help in anyway. _'Damn it!'_ He thought, pulling against the guards. _'I'd rather die out there for her! With her! It's my purpose!'_ The guards shook their head.

"No reason to let a perfectly good squire die out there. There's nothing you can do, they've gone rabid!" He struggled against them, tears forming in his eyes._ 'No... That can't be it!'_ He watched in horror as Sango faced off against her own little brother.

"K-Kohaku!" She shouted. She stared into his blank, expressionless eyes. Suddenly, the life had been sucked out of them. Sango couldn't understand how. He flicked his sickle at her and it smashed into her metal mask, shocking the royal guard.

"Your honor..." Said one soldier, his face grave. "P-Please... Let us stop this. S-Something terrible is happening!" The lord smiled and sipped on tea.

"Please. This is an interesting show. Let them figure it out." He directed, a gleeful smile on his face. The soldiers shook their head.

"What's gotten into the lord lately?" With a distraught yell Sango raced forward toward Kohaku, her katana above her head.

"Kohaku, why!" She shouted, slashing at him. He leapt out of her way with ease. _'This was his first extermination... This isn't him!'_ She thought desperately. She looked around, seeing a tiny thread. _'Spider web! That has to be it!'_ She looked around frantically for a source. _'It's the lord all along... I knew it!'_ She doubled around started launching herself toward the lord, her weapon drawn.

"WHY!" She shrieked, alarming the soldiers.

"N-Now she's lost it!" The general cried out. "Wipe her out!" On his order arrows rained down on the battlefield. They launched spears toward her. Mad in despair and and anguish Sango didn't shy away from the weapons. She yelled as the multiple weapons pierced her to Miroku's horror. As if that wasn't bad enough Kohaku's sickle lodged itself in her back as well.

_'You...'_ She thought, her heart snapping in two.

"SANGO!" He yelled for her as she hit the battleground already soaked with blood. She craned her head to look back at her brother who was vomiting on the ground. His eyes were petrified. Traumatized. He was the brother she'd remembered for twelve years of her life.

"Kohaku..." He was screaming and crying, so confused. Why would he attack his sister? His best friend? Why were his mentors and relatives beheaded? His father? The sight was just too much for him to take. He sank to his knees, blubbering like a little child.

"S-S-Sango... No, why?!" He cried out, holding his head in anguish. Tears fell freely down her face as she struggled to crawl to him.

"Kohaku-" Another order of arrows rained down on them. Sango just made it to her kid brother's chest as the arrows pierced them both, sentencing them to death. Miroku watched in disgust, his hand covering his mouth so he didn't spew everywhere.

"No, it can't. They couldn't," He shook his head in disbelief, so confused. He looked at the lord, seeing what Sango saw from the battlefield._ 'He's evil!' H_e jumped up now that he had nothing to lose. "Evil monster!" He shouted, preparing to throw it at the lord. The soldiers drew their weapons and prepared to skewer Miroku before someone else cut through the lords neck.

"Lord!"

"Lord Kagewaki!" They all screamed in horror when the realized the lords son an heir apparent had done it. Everyone fell silent.

"This wasn't the lord, my father..." He said quietly, his voice catching everyone's attention. "Unhand that man. He was right. So was she, unfortunately..." He looked out at the grisly battle scene.

"But-" The young prince pointed at his father's corpse as it transformed. His head became a spider, revealing the youkai's influence all along. Everyone screamed as he slashed at it with a sword.

"I thought my father might be sick but it appears it was far worse... He was in control of everything that happened tonight. How tragic." Sango laid dead on top of her child brother, tragically beautiful even in death. "It is our fault such a thing has happened. Let's give them all the proper burial they deserve." He ordered, disappearing castle. "Oh, and monk,"

Miroku turned around, his eyes blood-shot. "If you have nowhere to go please stay here." He looked at the ground, not really sure what he should do without Sango._ 'I failed her...'_ He heaved a heavy sigh.

"I will assist in the blessings and the burials..." He said before turning and heading to tend bodies. The ground squelched with blood underneath his feet. The tajiya clan had been fine on Miroku but no more interested in getting to know him than anyone else was. Still, he'd seen them every day. He'd assisted their training. He knew them all inside and out and they laid eviscerated in front of this strange castle. It wasn't right.

He approached Sango and Kohaku with trembling hands. Uttering a prayer he rolled Sango's body off her kid sibing's body. He looked at her, she was so beautiful even as a corpse. It wasn't fair, it should've been him. _'This is my fault, Sango...'_ He thought, thinking of the brand he had hidden in the palm of his hand.

He cried out in surprise when Sango coughed and then gasped desperately. "M-Medic!" Miroku screamed, looking down worriedly at Sango. "S-She's still alive." The lord's son watched from the window with a blank expression on his face.

"What shall we do, m'lord Naraku?" A servant asked behind them. "Finish the boy and that girl off or nurse her back to health?" He spoke after a moment.

"Bring her in. Bring the little brother's body too. Tell her we're going to bless his body since my father possessed him. If she survives,' He turned to the servant girl seriously. "She will take care of the red swordsman."

Sango floated in an out of consciousness as Miroku carried her frantically into the castle. She'd never been so gravely injured on an extermination. She was skilled and strong. Youkai never got the chance to maim her. Not only was it traumatic and horrifying to go through her ego was bruised. She'd been bested in front of a castle full of people. Were it not for revenge driving her she wouldn't even want to live.

She stared hatefully past Miroku's face, her eyes on the sky. She couldn't stop replaying her whole families death over in her head. Over and over again. As she drifted out again her mind wandered to a specific memory.

_"The Band Of The Spider?" Sango repeated mere weeks before the tajiya clan met calamity. The slender leader of the small army had a huge helmet on covering his face and piercing, black eyes. Sango felt that she had more muscle mass than him but she knew better than to underestimate anyone. He chuckled softly. _

_"Yes. I lead my band doing youkai and monster slayings as well as fight wars for villages and cities being pillaged by bandits." Sango nodded knowingly. She found dealing with youkai easier than war with man any day. "A priestess suggested that a spiritual woman in my band look after this..." He showed Sango the sacred jewel, who gasped. _

_"My father... He found this years ago. Everyone says it was formed in our village." The captain nodded. _

_"Our priestess, she can erect barriers. She can purify youkai with her hands." Sango looked down seriously at the jewel. "We are all honored but I just wanted to make sure you all would think it'd be a good idea for my band to take on protecting the Shikon Jewel." He inquired. Sango nodded. _

_"If she's as strong as you're describing it sounds like a good idea." He nodded, pleased with Sango's blessing. _

_"I want to free human-kind from the torrent of pain and horror and suffering just as you do. That's why you all are tajiya, to protect people from just those things." Sango looked at her feet. _

_"Somebody has to do it." She answered. He nodded.  
_

_"Sango," He said. "Will you work with me to work towards that? Help me create my kingdom free of all those things. Will the tajiya pledge themselves to a peaceful future. My dream..." Sango avoided his intense stare. 'This guy is kind of intense...' She thought, looking at the glowing jewel. _

_She placed it back into the leader's hand. "We do. The Tajiya will pledge ourselves to your dream." He smiled._

* * *

"Sango?!" She was off to herself behind her arm, peaking at a black brand on her wrist. She hid it quickly when Miroku called for her. "Sango, they're close. The village just up ahead." She stared off determinedly into the distance.

"Perfect. Tell the men to get ready."


	4. Servitude

Inuyasha hung lazily in the tree on a muggy spring day. The rest of the band were training, drinking, and eating as they always were. Almost a year had passed since Inuyasha had sworn his sword to Onigumo. He'd never admit it, but he found himself entranced by the man. His dream. His behelit.

_"You see? The Sacred Jewel." He showed him one night outside his tent. Inuyasha peered at it curiously. He had heard a lot of talk about it and knew Kikyo was its protector so he was surprised to see Onigumo have it. 'She would do anything for him, wouldn't she?' He looked into Onigumo's quizzically attractive features. _

_"It is also known as a a behelit." He continued, smirking into Inuyasha's eyes. He cocked an eyebrow. _

_"Behelit?" He nodded. _

_"Behelit. The egg of the emperor. It can grant riches. It can make you a god," He tucked the jewel back away in his armor. "If you're the right person." He looked at Inuyasha with an unreadable expression. 'Just like Gambino said!' He thought to himself. _

_"Are you gonna wish for your kingdom with it?" Inuyasha asked after a while, sitting back. Onigumo studied his face. _

_"I won't need to. Someone in possession of this will be able to create their own kingdom from scratch." He answered confidently. _

He was confusing, but Inuyasha liked his attention and company. He liked almost all of the guys in the band a lot. He was even growing fond of Kikyo. She was kind of standoffish and a bit of a nag (Especially when it came Onigumo) but she earned Inuyasha's full respect on the battlefield. She was immaculate. She was a true Sargent to Onigumo, it wasn't just a title.

The more they had to coexist because of him the easier it got. Inuyasha watched her secretly from the tree as she worked through the whole morning. She polished and tended weapons, she gathered medicinal herbs for injuries, she got food to be prepared for a meal. Tirelessly and efficiently she worked. _'Why doesn't she delegate some of the guys to help her?'_ He wondered to himself._ 'Why doesn't she ask? They idolize her they would say yes.' _

He hopped down from the tree before he changed his mind, eyeing her wearily before he approached. He reached down to one of the buckets of water she had gathered and raised it over his head. He saw the humorless comment form in her mind but she pressed her mouth in a straight line. He waited silently for her to direct him. In a moment she led to a hut full of supplies. Inuyasha followed her and set the bucket down.

Kikyo didn't say a word as she grabbed a few baskets. She sat and began sorting through the herbs she'd collected earlier. Inuyasha stared at her as he sat and joined in with her, a hundred different things floating in his head.

"Don't work too hard, stupid." He began, his eyes shut indignantly. Kikyo eyed him with a cross look.

"Excuse me?" He looked at her.

"You've been up since the crack of dawn. I know because I have been, I heard you." She leaned back on her heals in discomfort. The campsites always thrived under a little of Kikyo's feminine energy. Most of the men got up and found most menial tasks taken care of (In the early hours) by Kikyo. She sought to make Onigumo's dream closer anyway she could.

She looked down at the herbs with a small smile. "So I have. Trust me, I am use to it." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"I'm a half demon, _remember."_ He said snarkily. "I notice things humans can't no matter how hard they try. We traveled all day yesterday and you've been up half the day just working! If we got ambushed you'd get washed." Kikyo was frowning now. She was so annoyed by this hanyou unicorn that Onigumo doted on.

He was a barbarian. He swung his giant sword that defied the laws of physics without a care in the world. All he cared about was fighting, like some monster. Inuyasha had never even had a dream. She grabbed the bowl of herbs and stood, her eyes shut.

"Listen," She said, a mad look in her eye. "Why don't you go back to leading raids and stop trying to micromanage me?" Inuyasha chuckled.

"Is that what this is about? Your _boyfriend?_ You jealous of me getting Onigumo's attention?" He snapped, tired of the woman's fluctuating moods. The bowl of herbs clattered on the ground with a smash. Inuyasha jumped, then reached to pick them up. Kikyo reached for his arm and grabbed it. He jerked back suddenly, his ears flat against his head.

"Don't fuckin' touch me!" He yelled, relaxing when he realized she was trembling.

"Onigumo is..." Inuyasha noticed her voice sounded sad. "He is... Everyone thinks that I am so amazing." She said after a long while, avoiding Inuyasha's face.

"I think so..." Inuyasha said in a small voice. "A lot of people can't win a fight with any weapon much less be proficient with multiple." He explained. Kikyo laughed to herself.

"Onigumo made me like this. He made me this way." He looked seriously at her.

"Why are you so loyal to him? Tell me why you give him so much credit." She looked at her fidgety hands

_The priestess of the Bone Eater's Village heard a child's cry in the night. She looked around to find a bundle at the bottom of her hut. It was a tiny, helpless new born baby. She was essentially perfect with jet black, soft hair. She couldn't just leave her and she didn't know of anyone doing better to take her. _

_'I will raise you little one into a fine shrine priestess.' She thought, moving to take her inside. Suddenly, the dark hut began to glow with light. It was coming from the child. "S-She is touched!" She cried. It was then Kaede dedicated her life to this orphan's tremendous spiritual training. _

_Life was still rough with no family. Kaede was sweet and always secretly wanted children, but her attention was divided amongst nations of people, all in need. Kikyo was strong. She took the morsels of raisings and time Kaede carved out for her to heart, and she never took it personally when Kaede had to go. Which was often. They both often wished they could go somewhere and be normal people._

_One night the Bone Eater's Village was raided by bandits. They were fearsome, nasty thugs who took their time with defiling. Many died, many more were captured or enslaved. Others raped, some left with bastards never knowing their father's names. It wasn't the first time Kikyo had been violated but she swore she'd die before it'd happened again._

_She'd been chased into a chicken coop, cowering as the man undid his belt buckle. Suddenly they heard the galloping of horses. 'More bandits...' She thought in despair. She wasn't even a preteen yet and she was praying for death. Out around the corner came a glittery white horse and a soldier with long, flowing white hair. He was the most beautiful thing Kikyo had ever seen._

_He stared at the man who was ready to molest her. Kikyo waited breathlessly. 'Save me! Please!' She thought, growing desperate. He tossed a sword at her on the ground. She looked to it with wide eyes. _

_"If you want to live," He began, his voice like wind chimes. "You have to fight yourself." He explained. Kikyo gripped the sword, tears in her eyes. The man stared in disbelief, angry anyone would suggest that a little girl could slay him. He reached toward her and she stabbed with the sword. It went straight through his neck like butter. _

_He froze, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. He collapsed and died right in front of her. Kikyo stared, trembling, dropping the sword from her hand. The soldier was smiling at her, like out of a fairy tale. _

_"Very good." He said, his horse trotting along. Wiping her face she grabbed the sword and ran after him._

_"Hey! Wait! Take me with you! Teach me the sword!" Kikyo cried out. 'I never want to be taken advantage of again!' She thought. He smiled down at her. _

_"That's silly," He began but she shook her head. _

_"I could be useful..." She explained, making her hands glow suddenly. Some other band members gasped as they watched. 'She's got spiritual powers...' He thought. _

_"Do you pledge your future sword to me and my dream?" He asked finally. She nodded furiously. He smiled down at her. _

_"Fine then. You are now a member of the Band Of The Spider."_

Kikyo laughed, her eyes watery. "It's so stupid, isn't it? To have ever been so needy and scared. Even as a child. But since I met him, Onigumo," She looked at Inuyasha seriously. "I have not felt that way since." He burned under her intense stare.

"I get why he had a lot to do with it and you feel like you owe him." Inuyasha said. "But I still think you had it all in you anyw_ay." 'He didn't give you those wicked powers. That's you, baka.'_ He thought to himself. He stood before she could respond and grabbed the herbs.

"Now, where do these go?"

* * *

_"_Kikyo..." Shippo repeated as they inspected the woods surrounding the village. "She loved this Onigumo, didn't she?" He asked tentatively. _'But it sounds like you loved her. Poor Inuyasha.'_ He thought. Inuyasha blinked, expressionless. It only ever seemed difficult for him to talk about Onigumo. It was like he had to restrain something.

"Dunno. She definitely worshipped him. He was her _hero._ He was everybody's hero." Shippo listened carefully to how Inuyasha spoke. _'This Onigumo, wherever he is now, he is not a friend.'_ He thought. "The irony was that she was more incredible than he was, just nobody acted like it. She was undefeated in battle, capable of using spiritual powers. Sought out to protect the Sacred Jewel, she was no ordinary woman." Inuyasha's face softened.

"But her duty was important." He continued. "She never looked to have praise or recognition. It was the only way Onigumo's ego could survive." He sniffed after a moment, his heart thudding in his chest. "NO," He yelled. Shippo clutched tightly to him.

"No, what's the matter?!" He turned around began racing towards the village.

"I smell Babaa's blood! Something attacked when we left!" _'Damn it, it was supposed to get better when we separated!'_ He thought, hoping she was still okay. There was a crowd still gathered around Kaede when he got there but it didn't seem anyone was hurt. He was so worried about Kaede he forgot about Kagome. His blood ran cold.

"Oh no, Kaede-baba!" He screamed, running to her side. She struggled to look up with her good eye.

"I-I'm as good as gone, Inuyasha. I fought the soldiers as best I could..." He leaned in close.

"What, Kaede-sama? _Soldiers_?" She nodded weakly.

"T-They took Kagome-chan. They called her a witch and for her to be burned with heretics!" Inuyasha shut his eyes and uttered a prayer. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop them." She apologized sadly. Inuyasha shook his head angrily.

"What the hell do you mean!" He shouted, tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry I left and got you killed, you... You..." Shippo jumped out of his robe and focused.

"Okay, I'm ready. Hang on, Kaede-sama!" He cried, throwing his hands out. He began to glow with a blue light as the powder began to flow to her.

'_Is this... Faerie dust? '_ Inuyasha thought as he watched the amazing procedure.

"We fae people only do this in front of people we trust!" He explained. "Kaede-sama will still need rest but she won't die!" He exclaimed. Inuyasha sighed with relief and wiped at his eyes.

"Thank god. I didn't want that shit on my conscience." He stood up and looked around. "Can you folk take care of Babaa?" He questioned. They nodded yes. "Okay. Come on. Shippo. We gotta get Kagome." Shippo nodded determinedly.

"Right. Take care, Kaede!" He waved, hopping on Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Thank ye, little one. Bless ye. Please, be safe and get her back." _'That woman leading them, she was positively wicked.'_ She thought, catching a chill.

Inuyasha took off to the sky and followed what remained of Kagome's scent. _'If a hair is harmed on her head I'm gonna have a bad day.'_ He thought viciously. Shippo could tell from his energy they were about to be in a fight.

'_Never a dull moment around here...'_ He thought.

"You're not going anywhere!" A voice exclaimed. Inuyasha looked around suspiciously.

"Who's there?" He cried.

"You're not going anywhere!" They repeated. He cocked and eyebrow. 'What-"

"You're not-"

He jerked awake suddenly, realizing he was being kept in some sort of damp dungeon. He was hanging from his arms and a bitchy looking girl was standing in front of him with a whip. He looked around, wondering where Shippo had gotten to. _'Hope he took off before I got dragged to this dump.'_ He thought to himself, staring at the girl.

"What the fuc-" He began but she whipped him violently, frowning.

"Don't talk to me that way, demon." She snapped. She was clad in just the black stocking of her tajiya suit. It was nicely detailed and fit her form well. Inuyasha wondered why she had to get dressed like that torture him.

"Oh, and are you some kind of holy woman?" She snapped the whip again not earning an official reaction from Inuyasha. She frowned down at him, her eyelids rimmed in pink.

"Holier than you. I am the leader of the Holy Iron Chain Knights. The last of the great tajiya clan. You are a _hanyou._" He looked up smugly to her face. '_This bitch is so uptight.'_ He thought.

"Holy Iron Chain Knights? That sounds dumb. I'll tell you something,_ sweetie_." He licked his lips. "No blessed knights are gonna save us from the hell we're descending into." Sango's blood ran ice cold._ 'Maybe he is the doom bringer, evil thing!'_ She thought. Miroku revealed himself in the back of the room, frowning.

"Respect her, vermin!" He snapped. Inuyasha ignored him and stared at Sango as she whipped him over and over again. Not once did he cry out or flinch. _'Damn monster,'_ She thought angrily. She had been instructed to torture him and he hadn't blinked. She stood there, huffing in exhaustion and a bit ashamed to say the session was turning her on. They all were silent for a moment.

She rang a bell, trembling with rage. "Lock him back up. Get him out of there." The soldiers wordlessly obeyed, unchaining the hanyou and carrying him on. Sango scrubbed her hands over her face and shook.

"Sango-" Miroku tried.

"Away from me." She said, flinging her hand at him. "Just go." She waited for him to exit her quarters and locked her door. Lately, ever since the tajiya were slain, Sango got aroused when she saw torture. It was sick and twisted but it was true. Not even Miroku knew this, although she feared what would happen if he caught wind. She rubbed herself through the lycra material, tears streaming down her face.

Ever since she'd been healed she tortured herself and masturbated furiously. She wasted no time stripping herself naked and whipping at her bare body. Her back was covered in bruises and welts of varying stages of healing. She cried out in pain and sadness as the pain scared her but got her off all at once. Her hands wandered into the crook of her legs, rubbing like she'd gone mad. She collapsed to her knees and prayed. _'Why am I sinning?'_ She thought helplessly._ 'Why do I care about god and heaven all of a sudden?'_ She looked at her hands. '_Because everyone I've ever known is gone.'_ She sat back on her heels with a sigh.

"Maybe this is why mother hated me. She knew I was a monster." Sango said quietly to herself. She didn't shed any tears when her mother died. She left her in the past like a bad memory. Every day Sango thought about her dear father and brother and how badly she wished it had been her mother eviscerated by Kohaku.

* * *

The little boy watched as the giant monsters discussed him. More and more the boy had noticed his father withdrawing from his family. Nothing used to be more important than his family. Now it seemed he was plotting to get away from something. Miroku's mother was too delusional to notice. She was growing sicker and it seemed like his father had given up on taking care of her.

One night he noticed that his father had was leaving and he took that strange, emerald 'egg' he took everywhere with him. Curious, he crept right behind him. His father took a secretive path through the woods. He came to a stream that reflected the full moon purposely. Miroku swallowed, scared of what his father was doing.

'_What if my father is in the occult?'_ He thought worriedly. As a monk that would never go over. He and his mother were as good as dead if that were the case and people found out. He watched his dad call upon the stone. Slowly, the landscape began to change. The sky became dark. Soon the moon was gone. Miroku watched in disbelief as pillars erected in the sky.

'_W-What's my dad doing?!_' He watched as creatures appeared before him. Not youkai but literal demons. Straight from hell. The vision sent Miroku spiraling. He was too shocked to get all of what they were saying.

"You can leave this all behind. Become the apostle of your dreams, your family will think you disappeared." And naked she demon explained, her giant form scaring Miroku's mind. _'We'll think you what?!'_

He looked down at the stone. _'Miroku, my wife... I love you, but please, forgive me...'_ He sighed, looking up at the gods.

"I-I'll do it." Miroku's heart stopped beating in his chest. _'He did it...'_ The demons cheered.

"Congratulations..." Said one, his giant head all brain and his mouth unmoving.

"Congratulations..."

"You need only do one more thing." He looked up at them fearfully.

"Your son," The woman one said. "He's here."

"He would make the perfect sacrifice making you worthy of godhood." A fat demon with glasses cheered. Miroku stumbled backward in fear. Even though he was yards away suddenly he was in front of them all.

"W-What the-"

"What will you do to achieve greatness? He's right there..." Miroku looked around, tears dripping down his face.

"F-Father..." He looked down at the egg of the emperor and then Miroku. He nodded. The demons cheered, a black brand appearing on Miroku's palm.

"A beautiful sacrifice!" Miroku struggled to his feet to escape.

"D-Dad, please!" He looked at his son in shame. He would be gone. Miroku would be gone. His wife would be alone so he could have his dream. He shook his head.

"No! No! Please" He cried out to them. "I can't do it! I can't. I take it back, please take it back!" The giant demons looked amongst themselves.

"The ritual has started." One said.

"Something has to take his place." Another continued. They smiled amongst themselves. Hundreds and hundreds of demons appeared everywhere around Miroku's dad.

"D-Dad!" Miroku screamed as they descended upon him. They tore him apart limb from limb. Miroku watched in horror as he was destroyed in front of him. Pretty soon he was unrecognizable as a human much less Miroku's own father. He sat shaking, his eyes glossy from the things he'd witnessed.

"He wasn't ready..." One demon moaned.

"He wasn't the one.." Said another.

"Deliciously tragic all the same. And he will remember forever..." Soon, like a dream, the horrid landscape started to fade away. Miroku blinked. The sun was rising now. The bloody remains of his father were still there. Miroku stared at them for a long while. He couldn't go back to his mother and tell her what happened. He couldn't tell anyone.

He just started walking. He walked. And walked. Soon it began to snow. Miroku was sure he would finally just freeze to death. The past couple of hours had shattered his reality as he knew it. His father (Even if he did the right thing in the end) was not the man he thought he was. The things in life were not what he thought they were. He had confirmed hell. He no longer believed God or heaven existed.

_'Only hell._' He thought, falling in the snow and laying there._ 'I'll just die now... What else am I to do?'_ He sighed and waited to go numb.

"Mama! Look?" The covered horse cart paused and the young girl hopped out.

"Sango, it's cold!" Her kid brother whined from inside. "Mother, father! Come look, it's a boy!" Her mother flat out refused but her father grudgingly got out to investigate..

"So, what? He isn't ours..." He grumbled, peering at the tired boy. He was small and he looked punier than young Sango. "We don't have any use for him. Don't get me started on your mother..." Sango looked at her father with pleading eyes. 'If we leave him here, he'll just die...'

It was difficult being the daughter of a demon slayer and and noble woman. Sango didn't know much besides training to be a tajiya some day and trying to impress her mother. _'But maybe if I take this boy as my project I'll prove myself to her.'_ "He clearly has nothing..." Sango began, kneeling near him. "I want him to be my squire. For Kohaku and I to serve our every whim. I deserve that, don't I?" Sango's mother peeked her head out of the horse cart.

"She has a point..." She chimed in, intrigued by her daughter's fast thinking. 'Maybe she's more than a brute yet...' Sango's father rolled his eyes. All he cared about was the name of his tajiya clan and his family.

"Well your mother seems to be on board. I have no interest in taking in a weak boy, but..." He scooped a passed Miroku in his arms and motioned for Sango to follow. "Come on before we catch cold." He said, heading back to the horse. Sango watched curiously, wondering what she'd done.

_'A boy... Devoted to me. I never thought I'd see the day.'_ She thought. She was only 7 or 8 now but the pressures of finding a man who wouldn't care she was a demon slayer were already upon her. Miroku heard everything they were saying but chose not to speak.

_'This girl... She saved my wretched life. I will dedicate my life to whatever she wants...'_ He thought trembling in her father's arms.

* * *

Miroku watched Sango train in the distance. She was eleven or twelve now and he was a few years older. If he didn't know any different just by watching her fight alone he wouldn't think she was human. She was an unstoppable force. With her own dedication and her father's training Sango quickly became the best tajiya in the village. The normal sexism that perverted the land seemed to stop in the village of the Tajiya.

She was their crowning achievement. A fierce and beautiful flower that everyone loved, even Miroku. She did not treat him bad so much as she did not treat him like anything. She had gambled begging her family to bring the orphan with them, even as a servant. Sango's father was kind. He was stern and a tough coach but he bred greatness. He sympathized with the quiet boy who studied the holy book in-between squiring for Sango. But he believed in doing onto others what they'd want done to them.

It was his wife and her mother. She was a ruthless aristocrat. Her beauty spread across the land like rumors. Her family had almost as much money as some demon lords were rumored to. She had and retained wealth by doing anything to extend her reputation, including marrying the leader of the tajiya tribe. Sango's father had impressed her when they were young with his tenacity, his great leadership skills, and potential money making options.

She wasted no time popping out children. A daughter she had nothing in common with (who enjoyed cutting demons and being covered in their entrails) and a son who was more feminine than her daughter. She felt like a failure. She had produced no heir truly worth of the noble circuit. She was too repulsed by herself and her life to try again for an even more wrong child.

She watched with displeasure as Sango trained relentlessly, sitting comfortably on the porch of a big castle. "Sango, dear." She called, her smile pulled tight. "Why don't you let Kohaku play with Hiraikotsu for a while?" Sango frowned but dare not disobey her mother.

"Sure." She answered, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Miroku!" He came quickly from behind her, waiting to hear his next instructions.

"Yes, lady Sango." He answered. She offered a small smile. The sun was beating down on the field. Sango noted that Miroku looked parched even though he'd never complain to her. She took a generous swig of water from a canteen and held it towards Miroku. He watched her hesitantly before accepting it and swallowing a thirsty gulp.

"Lady Sango, thank you-"

"Sango. Come here." Her mother ordered. Sango frowned and handed Miroku her bone weapon.

"Polish this and take it to Kohaku." She ordered before approaching her mother. "Yes, mother-"

"Why did you offer him water?" She demanded, a sharp look on her face. She looked down at her feet.

"Mother, it's hot. He needed,"

"He is here to serve you, not the other way around." Sango was quiet. She understood her mother so very little. She didn't care about anything but training along side her father and brother. 'Maybe that's why I can never please her...' She thought bitterly to herself.

"I didn't take in that raggamuffin so you keep him hydrated. I know you like play demon slayer now but please," She stressed what she said with a look. "Act like you have a chance of being married off some day." Sango huffed but kept her opinion to herself. "You treat that boy like your servant and nothing more. Or he had to go." Sango glared at her mother. _'But where would he go...'_ Sango felt bad for bringing him into a life of servitude. She had good intentions but maybe this was as miserable as his life before. She sighed, feeling like she could never win against her mother.

"Yes." Was all she said.


	5. Faith

"We're going on a demon slaying." Sango announced to Miroku as he washed her spare slaying suits. He draped them over a tree branch. It made Sango feel things to watch Miroku, a man, be completely submissive to her. She never knew she wanted it but she did. "Kohaku needs to observe. You'll be coming to accompany him." Miroku faced her seriously._ 'This could be dangerous._' He nodded.

"Yes, Lady Sango."

"We're heading to the village of Niigata. They've recently been overrun by demons." Miroku's heart stopped cold. _'My old village...'_ He thought._ 'Attacked by demons... Mother, there's no way she could survive.'_ He stared bitterly at the ground as he tried to process the information.

"Miroku?" Sango repeated, a little anxious about him not listening. His head snapped up quickly.

"Gomen nasai, Sango." He uttered quickly. She eyed him suspiciously.

"What were you thinking, Miroku?" He shook his head and laughed in discomfort. _'There's no way I can tell her, she's got enough to worry about.'_ He gave her a wounded smile.

"Forgive me, I'm just a little tired. I'm ready to depart at once." He said, preparing to follow. She started on, bothered by his dark expression. _'What were you thinking...' _

They arrived to an utter blood bath. Sango had expected to put in work but nobody prepared her for the carnage that was waiting the scene. It was like a horror story. Huts were burning and people lay slaughtered in the street. All they could hear were the screams and death cries of the villagers. It was nothing they couldn't handle but Sango could tell her father was apprehensive of having his young son there. _'He's not ready...'_ He thought. He set two slayers aside to take Kohaku and the cart home.

Miroku stood as youkai bulldozed through people's homes. Sango dismounted Hiraikotsu and looked around her with determined eyes. "Miroku," She ordered. "Stay with me. They're taking Kohaku home." He stared at her before looking around wearily.

"Yes, Lady Sango." He watched as he had many times as Sango leapt into battle, cutting youkai in half with one swing. With a roar she swung again cutting through the ogre like butter. She swung Hiraikotsu and released it, leveling rows of foes. She revealed her katana and began slashing and stabbing at the disfigured demons. She ran to Hiraiktosu and lobbed it again, watching to see if Miroku was fine.

He was looking around with uncertainty, wishing he had a way to be useful. '_I would just get in her way.'_ He thought, clutching his staff in a white knuckle grip. He heard a graphic scream and and jumped, turning to investigate.

"M-Mother..." He froze as youkai ravaged her body, pulling pieces of her flesh from her bones. "MOTHER!" He screamed out, catching Sango's attention. '_Nani?_' She screamed in horror as he ran out in the fray. _'Idiot!'_ She thought, pounding her feet into the ground as she raced toward him. He slashed youkai in rage with his staff, tossing ofuda around his mother.

"Miroku!" She watched in horror as he ran to the old lady's side, tears on his face.

"_Mother..._" She realized suddenly why he'd thrown himself in harms way.

"Hiraikotsu!" She screamed as she flung her weapon forward, obliterating all the youkai that were surrounding him. She stood defensively in front of him to buy him a few moments.

_'Sango...'_ He thought as he stared down at his mother. She was terribly thin and almost bald. She would've been closed to death without a demon raid. '_Damn them... Coming when she was so close to Nirvana...' _He punched the ground beside her with rage.

"M-Miroku... Miroku..." She rasped, trying to focus on his face. She never thought she would see him again. He had disappeared and then her husband. She had gone mad with illness so it didn't much matter, sad neighbors brought her food they could spare. "Y-You did it?" She asked, using her remaining strength to inquire about her only son's status. A tear slipped out of Miroku's eyes.

"Yes, mama. I did." He said with a smile.

"M-Miroku..." Her mouth fell open and her tongue fell out, her eyes rolling in the back of her head. Miroku just stared, wondering if this would be the way he remembered her. '_Then I won't remember her at all._' He said, standing with a grim face. Sango waited to a beat to make sure he was okay before she spoke.

"We're scouting to make sure we haven't missed any youkai. Y-You must come!" Miroku nodded silently and followed after her as she started running. _'Sorry, Miroku...'_ She thought.

* * *

"Miroku!" She flashed her bullwhip at him in a rage, catching a confused look from him.

"Sango-"

"You weren't paying attention!" She snapped. He dropped his gaze to the floor. "I said no matter what I did that beast wouldn't react to my torture." He watched her with exasperation as she fidgeted. "Naraku rules everything to the west. For surviving the tajiya massacre he appointed me head of the Holy Iron Chain Knights and head of all religious investigations." She explained, looking worriedly out the window. "Safe to say I failed that assignment." She whipped Miroku suddenly and he cried out.

She raised her her fist to do it again but he grabbed it, staring seriously at her. She raised her other hand and he caught that one, glaring at her. "Now, will you listen to me?" He asked. She grunted and strained against him.

"Stop it! I order you to stop!" She screamed, gnashing her teeth. He dropped her hands suddenly and she panted, staring at him. She grabbed his large hands and dragged them to her throat, tears leaking from her eyes.

"S-Sango-"

"Please." She begged, forcing him to apply pressure. He jerked back from her, his eyes wide in shock.

"Sango what are you-" She crushed him to the wall, both of his wrists pinned. She glared hatefully at him.

"You're mine! You do what I say!" She screamed. He looked down at the erratic woman in pity, realizing she was acting out because she was scared. He was becoming used to it. Ever since that battle she woke up different. She started batting him with her fists, exclaiming in anger. The noise soon turned to sobs as she collapsed into him, not even sure why she was sobbing.

They fell to the floor together, Miroku supporting them both. He patted her head and watched quietly as she cried. He would not interrupt he would just witness. It was exactly what she needed. Miroku had loved her long before the day with his mother, it just cemented those feelings. He had no idea he'd committed to loving and serving a different person.

Sango woke up after the fall of the tajiya clan different. It was the only way he could describe it.

_Somehow, Sango had survived the great, initial trauma of her family's death. She hardly walked away unscathed. She was hanging by threads when Miroku had rushed her frantically into the castle. Naraku had access to the best medics in the area but they made no promises. Once her wounds were dressed he spent every moment by her side, praying. He fasted until she opened her eyes, almost three days later. _

_After her initial dressing he had cared for her the entire time. He had never been so glad to see her open her eyes. "Sango," He said, staring down at her with relief. She blinked and looked around, trying to move her mouth. She swallowed thickly. _

_"M-Miroku?" She said in a raspy voice. He nodded._

_"Yes, yes Sango! I'm here!" He replied, grabbing her hand. She looked around frantically. _

_"Kohaku?" She asked, her voice smaller. His gaze dropped to the ground. He opened his mouth to speak but she already knew. What she remembered was real, not just some horrid dream. She was really the only one left. She struggled to a sitting position, tears squeezing past her eyes._

_"Sango, don't!" She grabbed him and slammed him into the ground. She grabbed her knife from the table and held it toward his neck, staring down at him. Miroku stood still. He knew the last day she remembered had been violently traumatic. He waited for Sango to work through it. She stared down at him, sweat dripping off her nose onto his. _

_"You're mine," She began, her hand trembling. He watched her carefully. _

_"Yes-"_

_"If I want to put this into my neck I'll put it through yours first." She said, her voice cracking. He looked up at the trembling knife then at her. "So you can go with me." _

_"If that's what you decide." She looked at the knife and back at him. She dropped it suddenly. She stared for a long moment before reaching underneath her. Her body trembling with the strain of being mobile she felt for Miroku's member. He too began to shake, wanting desperately to stop her. _

_"No, Sango." He said with his eyes shut. She grabbed his face. _

_"That's mine too!" She declared, watching fear form in his violet eyes. "All of you, 100% swear to me!" She screamed rabidly, her eyes searching his face. Miroku nodded._

_"I swear that," He said, his voice shaking. _

_"I need to know." Said Sango, hiccuping. "I need to know what happens to me will happen to someone else! I won't fade away existence like..." She collapsed atop Miroku sobbing. After a long moment he wrapped his broad arms around her and just stayed there until she stopped. After she was done it was like nothing ever happened. Miroku got up and fetched her tea. It became their ritual from that moment. _

_Miroku couldn't place why but after the tajiyas' violent deaths, Sango began reacting to stress differently. Erratically. She started whipping herself. She started whipping Miroku. She read the holy books and began taking her faith seriously. Soon she began to actually believe the church propaganda she was hired to spread. Miroku found her decompensation repulsive and alarming. But he couldn't blame her._

_Anyone else would've laid down and died if they faced what Sango faced. She had given him the privilege of serving someone as wonderful as she was. He would honor it to the death. Even her erratic and uncontrollable actions and moods couldn't change that. _

* * *

When Sango grew quiet he untangled himself from her and rose. Sango remained where she was laying, her eyes staring into space. "I'll fetch some tea." He said softly, watching her. "Why don't you pray?" She moved into a sitting position as he left, grateful to be alone. She stood unsteady on her feet and grabbed her whip. Taking a shaky breath she lashed the whip at herself, shaking involuntarily.

In a room around the corner Inuyasha was still chained and detained in a cage. Shippo stared up through the floorboards, disappearing before Inuyasha had been sought for. "Inuyasha! Hello!" He called up to him. Inuyasha slowly opened his eye. _e_He thought grudgingly. He felt groggy and subdued.

"Hey you little rat..." He called down. "Hows about you help me out of here ?" Shippo pouted, crawling up through a hole in the floor.

"I'm a fox, Inuyasha! I really shouldn't..." He flew into the cage and popped a sparkling bomb into his chains. Inuyasha watched in awe as they were busted loose. He looked at his free wrists with a smirk.

"Thanks, Shippo." He did the same thing to the cage's lock and carefully swung it open. Inuyasha leapt out, looking around suspiciously. He grabbed his robes and his sword from the corner of the room and crouched down. Shippo climbed in and looked at him.

"What's the plan now?" He slipped out of the chamber quickly, Shippo clutching to him.

"We get the fuck-" Inuyasha froze as they saw their captor standing shirtless, whipping herself repeatedly with a whip. It drove them both to silence for a moment. Tears leaked out of her eyes and spit dripped down her chin as she panted. It was both repulsive and erotic. Inuyasha decided to take advantage of what he could get. He crept near her while she was in a pain induced stupor.

"I-Inuyasha what are you thinking?!" Shippo whispered. He glared at Sango with a cocked eyebrow.

"Hedging my bets." He sat hunched and watched her for uncomfortably long as she continued to whip herself. He stood suddenly behind her and the hairs stood on the back of her neck. She turned in horror to see him, a crazed look in his eye. She did the one thing she never did. She froze. She stared fearfully up at him like he was a beast. With stunning quickness he chopped her neck. She fell forward, unconscious in seconds.

"Inuyasha!" Shippo cried. Inuyasha hurriedly tied her hands and her legs despite Shippo's protests.

"Listen, Shippo. How else are we gonna make it out of this shit hole? They're not gonna touch me if I have her, then we can find Kagome." Shippo wasn't excited to go around kidnapping but they didn't have much choice. They were met quickly by a monk and a whole army. The monk became panicked when he saw Sango topless and incapacitated.

"S-Sango-sama..." He murmured in horror.

Inuyasha sneered. "Oi. Hey. Look what I got. I'd love to stay and fight but you guys would hate for something to happen to her, wouldn't you?" The soldiers grit their teeth, knowing they couldn't attack him right now.

"Using a girl as a hostage? Real honorable, hanyou." Said Miroku hotly. Inuyasha stuck his tongue out.

"I suggest you folk clear a path." The general looked around before nodding, allowing Inuyasha to pass through with a grin. Shippo looked around in surprise.

"Amazing..."

But just as they'd gotten to a horse and ridden off Miroku was procuring one himself to follow. _'No way I'll let you have her, demon...'_ He thought angrily. Eventually, Sango began to come to. She felt ill from the bobbing of the horse._ 'What the hell?'_ She thought groggily. She realized suddenly she was bound and on horseback.

She looked up in fear to see Inuyasha, flashing a toothy grin down at her. "Welcome." He barked. She screamed like a banshee and wriggled furiously, angry she was kept from killing him. He frowned at her, struggling to stabilize them on the horse. "Stop it, bitch! If you fall on those rocks you know you'll die!" Sango continued screaming, in disbelief she'd been captured by a half demon. Shippo poked his head out to try to de-escalate the situation.

"Hi! I'm Shippo, a faerie. Can you tell us where the heretics are being burned? We have to stop them!" He said in a cheery voice. Sango stared at him for a long moment before letting out a blood curdling scream.

"W-What are you? What is this? Some sort of nightmare?" She stammered, trying to look around and see where they were. They were getting farther from camp. "N-No! The Holy Iron Chain Knights are gonna find you and crucify you, youkai!" She spat, her teeth bared. Inuyasha just snorted.

"That supposed to scare me or somethin'?" She glared bitterly at him, wishing she had murdered him instead of letting Miroku tranquilize him like Naraku wanted.

"You have no idea what fear is. Unhand me or else! I'm utterly and completely disgraced by being captured by the likes of you! I'd rather crash on the rocks!" Sango screamed so loud it hurt Inuyasha's ears. Snarling, he grabbed on to her and hung her near the cliffs while she screamed and cried.

"I'll do it," Inuyasha began. "I really don't give a fuck." He held her there a moment longer before settling her back on the horse. "Now behave." Triggered into being quiet she sat that, wondering how her life had ever come to this._ 'Father spins in his grave...' _She thought, staring off as the horse pressed on.

Miroku knew he couldn't be too much farther behind him. However, he got the most queasy feeling. As if he were being watched by hundreds of evil eyes. He looked around him, feeling paranoid. He swore, he almost saw something. _'Am I being followed?'_ He wondered to himself. He felt like the farther he rode the more evil things felt. He could tell his horse felt the same. _'Sango... Please, be okay.' _

She shut her eyes and began to block this out like she did other things, like her family's demise. '_This isn't happening... This isn't happening...'_ She thought to herself. She opened her eyes again and she started to see something. Spirits. Dark. Dead. Black. All around them for something. She began to struggle against her restraints instinctively. "What the-" She cried.

Inuyasha looked around him but said nothing. _'Damn it... Not now...'_ He thought. Sango teared up as one of the evil beings reached out and clasped her face with a laugh. It laughed. It was the most completely evil thing Sango had ever experienced and that was including the tajiya assassination. She trembled and screamed until she was hoarse when hell surrounded them. Inuyasha's hand hovered over his sword.

"God. He shows himself on the ground." He said bitterly, earning a look from both Shippo and Sango. "These are his miracles." Inuyasha finished. Sango started at him with saucer-wide eyes._ 'Is that his game... Acting like some barbarian when he's...'_ She thought in confusion.

"Disturbingly profound..." Shippo commented uncomfortably. Inuyasha tried wielding his sword atop the horse. It was way more precarious than he would've liked, and the horse was uncomfortable. A demon lashed at them and the horse jerked reactively. Sango bounced and began to slip off the horse. She yelled and struggled all the way down.

Before she crashed into the cliffs. Inuyasha ducked down and caught her. She stared up into his scarred face and missing eye. _'Why?'_ She thought. She looked down to the arm that grabbed her, noticing that kimono sleeve billowed much longer than the other. It was then she realized Inuyasha's non sword using arm was unlike the rest of him. The bandages unraveling revealed wrinkly, reptile like skin. She began screaming again and he held her tighter. He tossed her safely on the ground.

Sango stared up at him, unsure what he was gonna do next. He surveyed around them with his good eye, hoping they weren't surrounded. Due to Sango's athleticism she struggled to a standing position despite her hands and ankles being tied. "Don't you talk about God or miracles..." She began. He stared at her with a smug grin.

"And you know about them?" He questioned combatively with a snarl. Sango frowned.

"You are proof of hell, hanyou. I _survived_ hell." She explained, wiggling away from him. Inuyasha closed the distance between them, smiling. Sango jumped back as a pack of wild dogs jumped out at them, snarling. "W-What? Wild dogs?" Inuyasha laughed as they mutated into grotesque demons, causing Sango to break into a cold sweat.

"No, no Holy Knight. _Miracles._" He pointed at the evil creatures. Sango shook and trembled in the presence of the beasts. She felt ill suddenly, like she might faint._ 'How is this happening... This is like when my clan was killed, there was no god!'_ "There is no god." Inuyasha said, a far away look in his eye. "Only this." He said, watching Sango take it all in.

"Why shrink back?" He asked, slashing his giant sword through them. "Only people who deserve to see stuff like this see it." His said, his remaining eye turning red. He grabbed Shippo and tossed him as purple marks formed on his face.

"What's happening?!" Shippo cried tearfully. _'Nani?'_ Sango thought. His claws grew, his hair was longer. Suddenly he looked unstoppable. He launched himself into the growing hoard of demons. It didn't even look like they were on earth anymore. It looked like Hell. A dark, expansive abyss filled as far as they eye can see with demons. Sango trembled as she watched, realizing she was at a hanyou's mercy to be saved.

"How did it come to this..." She murmured as she watched him massacre the gathering youkai. _'I can't do anything... I can't think. I slayed demons for a living and now I can't even pray... What is this evil?'_ She thought. She watched in horror and disgust as the demon's blood rained on Inuyasha. He roared in the night and continued, tearing the demons apart. Shippo trembled at the bloody display, terrified that Inuyasha was capable of this level of violence.

Sango fell to her knees, her already fragile psyche melted beyond recognition. She watched as a horse ambled by, convinced she could escape these horrors if she just got on the horse. "That's it! I'll just mount it!" She thought desperately, trying to to stand. The horse approached her and to her horror was also tainted by the evil of this event. It was slobbering, a mouth of human teeth chattering in its unholy mouth.

It morphed into a demon right before Sango, causing her to shriek loudly in distress. The demon horse formed a large, throbbing penis and stared down hungrily at Sango. It pinned her with a surprising speed and slobbered over her hungrily. She began to sob as it sniffed and licked her. "I'll... Mount you!" The horse youkai explained. Sango threw her head back and bellowed, catching Inuyasha's attention.

The sight of the demon erect and hovering over Sango triggered Inuyasha once again. His vision got blurry, his breathing became shallow. "Kikyo..."

_He remembered the single tear that slipped out of her eye as he lay pinned by hundreds of demons. It took all of them to keep him from racing to Kikyo's immediate aid. Tears squeezed shut past his eyes as he watched her, strung up like a broken paper doll before him. "Kikyo!" He screamed in despair. "Kikyo!" _

"KIKYO!" Shippo watched carefully._ 'It's happening again!'_ He thought. With a battlecry, Inuyasha swung his sword and slammed it clean through the demon horse, stopping just before he cut Sango's flesh. The horse fell away from her in two, covering her with gore. She stared blankly up at him as he stood there, panting. Images of Kikyo flashing through his mind. _'The same thing is gonna happen to Kagome if I don't help her!'_ He thought helplessly.

She sat up still completely in shock as she watched Inuyasha visibly wrestle with some sort of darkness inside of him. She was at a loss of what to do and completely unsure of what Inuyasha was. He flicked the gore off his sword. "If you don't want to die," He started as he looked at her seriously with his eye. "Don't wander away." He finished, feeling at least a little bit guilty his curse was exposing her to this. '_I just needed a fast way out of there.'_

She nodded unsurely, resigning herself to this situation completely. Inuyasha's knees buckled slightly. Shippo frowned up at him._ 'Whatever just happened burned through a lot of his energy. And he's still messed up from the poisons that put him to sleep!'_ "Inuyasha, be careful!" Shippo worried. Inuyasha wiped his face with his sleeve.

"Yeah, yeah." He said. _'If I die I can't help Kagome. And that's no damn good.'_ He thought to himself. His hand twitched anxiously, going numb from the strain of swinging his sword for a prolonged amount of time. He chuckled bitterly to himself. "You reminded me of someone," He said to Sango quietly. "The first person I ever cared about." She looked at him with a confused stared. "Thanks. Now I'm in a real bad mood." He said sarcastically.

_'Who is he?'_ Sango wondered, so confused by this hanyou who contradicted himself every minute. He looked back to Sango and Shippo. "I've got to keep fighting." He said. "At least till dawn and then we should be good." _'The interstice wont bleed out around me.'_ He thought desperately. They watched helplessly as he launched himself back into the horde of youkai.

Sango stared after him, wishing he would just stay by her side._ 'Stained with blood... Bleeding like an animal... Under this black sky he makes my chest beat somehow.'_ She thought to herself, knowing it would absolutely disgust her mother. _'I can't even move my lips to pray or say the name "God". I, employed to crusade for it. All because he spared me and only me it has to be for a reason? Maybe I am wicked... Maybe there is no reason for anything.'_ Sango leaned forward on her knees in a helpless position.

_'Beneath this big, black sky I am tiny, wretched, and helpless.'_ She thought. She used to feel strong and capable, maybe even crazy. She had never felt as as small as she did right now.

_'Tiny..._' A voice in her head echoed.

_'Wretched?_' Chimed another. Sango looked around in confusion.

_'Helpless? We are wretched but we are not helpless...' _Sango listened fearfully. '_If you are helpless than there is no sin!'_

_'What?'_ She thought helplessly. _'No need to try to cover it up with pretty words.' _

_'It is in you._' Came a voice louder than the others. _'You just never show anyone.'_ Sango reflected on all of the habits she'd acquired in his life, from secret dominant feelings to basically domming Miroku and torturing herself.

_'The desire...' _

_'The dark.'_ Sango shut her eyes and tried to shut out the intrusive words. "No!" Sango cried out, her head on the ground

'_Crying won't save you...'_

_'Crying won't save you!'_ She looked around for the source of the voice as the hanyou Inuyasha in chains came to her mind._ 'As you whipped that body, that body like steel...'_ The voices continued. _'You felt it boiling. Inside you. The passions of the flesh!'_ "No!" Sango cried. '_You stroked his body. You were proud of all the blood you made. Pleasure filled you! You find pleasure in pain!'_ The voice yelled at her.

_'No I don't!'_ She thought, thinking of ever time she hurt herself training to be a tajiya. Even as a child, she endured her father's harsh words and the pain of getting hurt. That's how she was such an incredible demon slayer today. But it was very painful. Physically and emotionally. Her mother never forgave her for it. She went to her deathbed wishing Sango was a man.

Receiving her father's praise almost made up for it. Almost. But she lost that when her brother murdered him before her eyes. Sango realized that from a young age she converted pain into pleasure as a defense mechanism and it was still affecting her life. _'You pretend to examine your inner self. Your shame and survivor's guilt. But it's always the same! It's for pleasure.' _

Sango shook her head, tears sliding down her face. Shippo watched helplessly, not sure how he could help her. _'She's really losing it in here. This is what Inuyasha faces all the time...'_ He thought.

'_It gets you off to exert pain on to others. It gets you off to receive pain from others. Win win situation, isn't it?'_ Sango imagined her father in her head. _'You hide your shameful pleasure under devotion and sacrifice.'_

"That's not true!" Sango cried desperately. She felt a presence approach her from behind. _'We can't make you do anything that isn't really you... Let us show you!' _A voice said finally. Sango, too completely exhausted and in shock to protest, bowed her head. She felt the spirit enter her and then take control. She snapped free of her crude restraints with ease. Shippo watched in horror as she stripped naked and looked toward Inuyasha with dead eyes.

_'In here there is not unpleasant god.' The_ voices told her. _'Seek what it is that you want.'_ Sango stumbled toward Inuyasha, tears streaking down her face. He eyed her in confusion and awe of her naked form.

"What the-" She stood in front of him in her naked glory, an unreadable expression on her face. Inuyasha scratched his head in discomfort. "Um..." Sango bent over in a very unholy position, her heat in the air. She stared hungrily into Inuyasha, leaning forward and breathing into his face. Shippo ran and hid behind a tree, feeling too awkward to keep watching. Inuyasha craned his face away from the possessed Sango, confused and disgusted by her behavior. "Girl," He snapped.

"Wh-What are you doing!?" He cried out as she slinked on top of him.

"She's been possessed, Inuyasha!" Shippo called fromrm his heading place. Sango raised her fist and punched him suddenly.

"Ow, bitch!" Inuyasha screamed. She smiled and began straddling his giant sword with an evil smile. She began licking the blood and filth off its blade, her dead eyes staring at him the whole way. Inuyasha swallowed. "Yeah, Shippo. You oughta not watch..."

She grabbed the rope that held the prayer beads and pulled them tightly around his neck. Inuyasha grabbed on to her wrist, glaring at her. She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Raise it." She said, smiling at him. "Raise that sword slowly." She licked her lips to his concern.

"Bitch what are you-"

"You'll taste it too. The pleasure... Go on." She pulled tighter on the rope. "Slowly tear me in two." No matter how hard Shippo tried to cover his ears he heard everything. He watched as Inuyasha seemed trapped underneath the possessed Sango. '_We've gotta get the spirit out!'_ He thought. He leapt out and shot green fire at her.

"Fox fire!" He yelled, bumping the disembodied spirit out of Sango's body. She stared down at Inuyasha, trembling. Tears leaked involuntarily out of her eyes as she looked around her. The sun had finally risen and the demons seemed to have finally gone.

'_Was that real...'_ She thought brokenly. _'Was I really possessed?_' She began wailing uncontrollably, clutching her head and trying to erase the unholy memories. Inuyasha frowned at her, his ears flattening. _'Damn loud!'_ He thought.

"Hey! Hello! Are you sane now? Will you get off?" She stared at him through her tears like he was speaking another language. He took the moment of opportunity to flip Sango and pin her under him, growling. "Tell me where the heretics are being taken. Where did you send Kagome?!" He screamed in her face, absolutely fed up with this detour. She stared unblinkingly in his face.

"Who-" He punched the ground near her head.

"The girl you deemed a heretic! Don't play stupid with me," He reached down and grabbed her neck, crushing it with ease.

"Inuyasha, no!" Shippo cried in horror.

"This is for that old priestess. I didn't forget what your people did to her..." He squeezed harder, his vision beginning to tunnel. Sango moaned. He frowned. It didn't particularly sound like in pain. He squeezed harder, his teeth bared. She gasped.

"Inuyasha if you kill her she'll never tell us where Kagome is!" Shippo yelled as he tugged on his ears. Inuyasha brought himself back from the edge, ashamed of himself for choking a naked woman. _'Even if it's her...'_ He thought hatefully. He lifted his knee which felt a bit damp. He looked down and realized that Sango had been aroused the entire time he'd attacked her, the proof on the knee of his pants.

He watched her pant, staring at the sky as tears slid down her face. _'What is this woman...'_ Inuyasha thought, in confusion. He turned as he saw the monk from earlier, staring at the scene darkly. "Where are the heretics?!" Inuyasha repeated. Sango turned, seeing Miroku.

"The village past the Samurai District!" She cried, scrambling from under him. Miroku slid from his horse and tied some of his robes around Sango.

"Thank you very much." Inuyasha sneered. "She's your problem, now." He said, turning to leave. Sango stared after him, shivering.

'I want to go after him but...' He looked down at her, she seemed to be in shock. 'She needs me right now.' He smiled down at her, relieved he'd found her. "Are you alright? Can you stand?"

"Kill him." Sango responded, her soul too heavy to fight him herself._ 'He just came and took me and shattered my whole view on everything.'_ She thought. '"Kill him. Kill him! For mine honor, Miroku!" She raged at him. Miroku stared down at her worriedly. _'The bastard was on top of her... What did he do?'_ He stared at Inuyasha's retreating form. _'He's a half demon... He could easily kill me. But she told me to.'_ He unwrapped his arms from around Sango.

"Hey, hanyou." Miroku called, gripping his staff tightly.

Inuyasha froze. "Inuyasha, don't!" Shippo yelled.

"Sup monk, I thought you guys couldn't have girls." Miroku glared darkly at him.

"I find it deplorable that you stole our Sango, and I can only hope you haven't defiled her." Sango watched behind him, seething. Inuyasha scoffed.

"She stripped naked herself. Trust me, she's not my type."

"She wants me to kill her for the ordeal you put her through." Inuyasha smiled smugly.

"So, do it then." Sweat dripped down Miroku's brow. He smiled uneasily.

"We both know that would only result in my death." Miroku answered to Sango's disbelief. "And I can't allow that to happen, yet." Sango slapped him hard, leaving a red mark on his face.

"You bastard!" She screamed. Inuyasha laughed to himself.

"I like that answer, monk!" He chuckled. "She's a real bitch, isn't she?" he looked up angrily at Inuyasha.

"Watch your mouth!" Miroku leapt forward surprisingly fast and slashed with his staff. Inuyasha moved but it caught his cheek, leaving a small cut. Both men stared at each other.

"Nice move." Said Inuyasha, wiping his face.

"Nice dodge." _'Better than I thought.'_ Miroku thought. Inuyasha scratched his head.

_'Better than I thought...'_ He thought to himself. Miroku looked back at a very exhausted looking Sango.

'_He does care about my honor...'_ She thought, grateful Inuyasha hadn't been like most men and taken advantage of that weak moment. Still, she couldn't help but almost feel insulted by that. Sango had been proposed to many times. _'What kind of girls make his heart beat fast...'_ She wondered to herself.

"It looks like that's enough for now." Said Miroku with a worn out smile. "Sango, let's get you back home. Everyone's worried about you." She nodded dumbly as he helped her onto his horse. Inuyasha watched with a scowl as they rode off together.

"Should've killed them." He growled to himself. Shippo frowned. "They're gonna be back to get on my nerves later. I know it!" He explained.

"Don't say that! Besides, she told you where to find Kagome. And," Shippo looked in the direction they took off in. "Whoever that guy is, he really loves her. That Sango woman." He deduced. Inuyasha snorted.

"I don't know why, crazy bitch." He turned with a huff, heading towards the Samurai District. _'No more detours...'_ He thought worriedly as he imagined Kagome. "You hang in there, Kagome."


End file.
